He took the name of Urban (Latin for "kind") and planned a series of Papal works on behalf of the poor. He settled up the accounts those in debt to the monts-de-piété and ordered bakers to bake bigger bread for less dough. He also forbade his chamberlains from wearing expensive silk and strove to eliminate nepotism in the church. All this in twelve days. Imagine what he could have done in twelve years.

Unfortunately, he caught malaria and died. Charitable to the end, his fortune of 30,000 scudi went to provide dowries for poor girls.